St Jude's Kayak Trip--2013 Report--Great time!

gregg dudley · April 14, 2013, 09:18:00 PM

We loaded up the Suburban and trailer with gear and guys and headed to the river for an early start on Friday.

Here is a picture of Jeff and Joe prior to hitting the river:

tarponnut · April 14, 2013, 09:19:00 PM

Cool! Looking forward to this...

gregg dudley · April 14, 2013, 09:20:00 PM

Here is the entire group prior to shoving off:

Left to right: Joe, Jim Wohrley, me, Reed, Jeff

gregg dudley · April 14, 2013, 09:22:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by 7 Lakes:
I worked for a Wilderness Educational Program for 30 years. The first rule when dropping off a group on the river was the driver had to stay until the group paddled off. Often the group would send stuff back to camp to prevent sinking. Ya'll have fun.

Wise words! :D We did send a few things back with my Dad!

wooddamon1 · April 14, 2013, 09:28:00 PM

awbowman · April 14, 2013, 10:23:00 PM

This is going to be fun! BTW, SWEEEET rides and beautiful river!

stykbow67 · April 15, 2013, 05:21:00 PM

I'll be keepin tabs on this! Looks like an awesome trip!

Steve

swampdrummer · April 15, 2013, 05:27:00 PM

Is that the put in/swimming area at the state park? Looking forward to this one! A few years back I canoed from SR 40 all the way out to the St Johns. Great trip

April 15, 2013, 05:53:00 PM

Sounds awesome! Can't wait for more.

Bisch

T-Bowhunter · April 15, 2013, 07:15:00 PM

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 07:46:00 PM

Joe and Jeff should get home today and hopefully they can chime in. I know they are busier now that they are retired than they were when they worked for a living. You should have heard all the planning!

Loading pictures....slow...

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 07:59:00 PM

So you know we didn't pack light. There's no fishing ont he Silver River so I packed all the fishing rods to start us out. There are 2 a piece for a total of 8 sticking up out of my boat. Jim packed his own... More on that later... "[dntthnk]"

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 08:00:00 PM

We hadn't gone real far when we ran into a big old lizard. Joe took this picture:

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 08:23:00 PM

We continued upriver and encountered more wildlife at every bend of the bank. It was a beautiful morning and the wildlife was out in full force.

Joe took this one:

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 08:29:00 PM

Finally, we made it to the head springs of the Silver River. Joe and Jeff were impressed that the river actually started from a mammoth cave opening in the limestone rock below us. Over 550,000,000 gallons of water a day flow from these springs.

The headwaters is home to Silver Springs, one of Florida's oldest tourist attractions. Mary Todd Lincoln travelled upriver by steamboat to see the springs, Tarzan, James Bond, Sea Hunt and other movies and shows were filmed there. In the pre-Disney days this attraction flourished. Today it is on it's last legs and the state is taking over the property. I drove glass bottom boats here in the late 80s when I was in college. In fact, I drove this one, which was waiting for tourists when we got to the headwaters. There weren't many tourists at all in the park, but I ran into an old boat driver that has been running tours on the river for longer than I have been alive. I remembered him from when I was there.

Joe took this picture:

Izzy · April 15, 2013, 08:30:00 PM

I wanna see some one armed monkey pics!!!

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 08:33:00 PM

It wasn't to be, Izzy! No monkeys on this trip. They are nomadic and wild and they didn't want any part of Whip and Tippit.

But we did see this little guy.

One of Joe's pic:

Jeff's pic of Joe taking his pics:

gregg dudley · April 15, 2013, 08:37:00 PM

There are a lot of side springs up near the main one and we meandered around through them at a casual pace. We had the place completely to ourselves! The long dark objects in these pictures are bass.

awbowman · April 15, 2013, 08:44:00 PM

If I know Joe and Jeff and I know both are in heaven on this trip

Guru · April 15, 2013, 08:48:00 PM

This is cool!!!